Plastic containers for bottles or the like



p 1 1964 I H; YOCHUM, JR

PLASTIC CONTAINERS FOR BOTTLES OR THE LIKE Filed April 27, 1962 lNVENTOR. I? M d United States Patent F 3,148,822 PLATI CGNTAINER FUR BQTTLES OR THE LIKE Ziaspert, Pittshurgh, Pa.

Filed Apr. 27, 1952, Ser. No. 190,694 2 Qlaims. (Cl. 229-45) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in containers for beverage bottles and the like and it is among the objects thereof to provide a container moldedin one piece from flexible plastic composition in which the side and end walls are turned up from the base and two cover flaps are hinged to the side walls and extend to the center of the box when assembled. The invention further contemplates a plastic container design in which the cover flaps have flanged ends with indents that provide a structural shape to strengthen the free ends of the flaps; and it is yet a further object of the invention to provide such flanged flaps with terminal projections that are disposed in recesses adjacent the gripping portion of the box by which the flaps can be readily opened. 7

The invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawing constituting part hereof in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of a molded plastic box embodying the principles of this invention; and,

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a molded plastic blank from which the container of FIGURE 1 is made.

In the drawing, the numeral 1 generally designates the bottom of the container with drain holes 2, blanks 3 and t for the end walls extending from the bottom 1. Side wall blanks 5 and 6 are integrally formed with the bottom 1 and flaps 7 and 8 are integrally formed with the side walls 5 and 6 respectively. The one-piece plastic sheet material is scored or grooved at 9, 10, 11 and 9a, 100 and 11a so that it may be folded to the box shape shown in FIGURE 1.

The blanks 3 and 4 are molded with recesses 12 by displacing the material inwardly as is more clearly shown in FIGURE 1 and the inner wall of the recess is provided with slots 13 to receive flanges 1t and provided on the flat blanks 7 and 8. The latter are also provided with peep holes 15 for the purpose of identifying the contents of the container without opening the flaps.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the flanges 14 and 15 are provided with indents 17 which form ribs 18 on the inside of the flanges to constitute the flange and flap end a structural member that is reinforced throughout the length of the flange. As is most clearly shown in FIGURE 2, the flanges are bent inwardly at 19 and are provided with 3,148,822 Patented Sept. 15, 1964 finger tabs 20 which lie wholly within the-recess 12 when the flaps are closed. The flaps 7 and 8 are cutout, as shown at 24, to provide clearance for the inner wall of the recess 12 when the flaps are closed. By flipping the tabs 21' with the finger, the flaps are opened. The tabs 2d lie wholly within the recesses 12 and do not interfere with the handling or stacking of the boxes.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the end wall blanks are molded to a curved shape, as shown at 21, which overlaps the side walls '7 and 8 to which they are readily joined by staples or by a plastic cement or fusion. Attentionis called to the fact that the hand slots 22 are disposed-in a solid part of the end walls 3 andd so that the container is not weakened. When the flaps '7 and 8 are closed, the flanges 14 and 15 abut and in closed position the flaps 7 and 8 rest on the top edge or" the end walls 3 and 4. g

The walls may be molded to a panel form to strengthen the container as a whole and for ornamentation. Also, the paneling affords a set-off space for labeling the container with the brand illustration.

Although one'embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be evident tothose skilled in the art'that various modifications maybe made in the details of construction without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

1. A box for bottles and the like comprising a bottom, side and end walls and a pair of cover flaps molded of a flexible plastic composition as a unitary member and joined with the end walls overlapping the side walls, the end walls being coextensive in height with the top edges of the side Walls and the end walls having their top center I portion displaced inwardly to form recesses with a lateral gripping slot therebeneath and with a vertical slot in the center of the inner wall of said recesses, and said flaps being co-extensive with the outer edge of said end walls on which they rest and having peripheral flanges abutting and seating in said vertical slots when said flaps are closed, said flanges having ofiset ends disposed in'the vertical slots in said recess for engagement by the finger to raise said flaps.

2. A box for bottles as set forth in claim 1 in which the flanges have molded indents constituting reinforcement and have their ends turned at right anglesinto recesses provided in said flaps, said ends having lateral projections for gripping to open said flaps.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Cloyd Mar. 5, 1963 

1. A BOX FOR BOTTLES AND THE LIKE COMPRISING A BOTTOM, SIDE AND END WALLS AND A PAIR OF COVER FLAPS MOLDED OF A FLEXIBLE PLASTIC COMPOSITION AS A UNITARY MEMBER AND JOINED WITH THE END WALLS OVERLAPPING THE SIDE WALLS, THE END WALLS BEING COEXTENSIVE IN HEIGHT WITH THE TOP EDGES OF THE SIDE WALLS AND THE END WALLS HAVING THEIR TOP CENTER PORTION DISPLACED INWARDLY TO FORM RECESSES WITH A LATERAL GRIPPING SLOT THEREBENEATH AND WITH A VERTICAL SLOT IN THE CENTER OF THE INNER WALL OF SAID RECESSES, AND SAID FLAPS BEING CO-EXTENSIVE WITH THE OUTER EDGE OF SAID END WALLS ON WHICH THEY REST AND HAVING PERIPHERAL FLANGES ABUTTING AND SEATING IN SAID VERTICAL SLOTS WHEN SAID FLAPS ARE CLOSED, SAID FLANGES HAVING OFFSET ENDS DISPOSED IN THE VERTICAL SLOTS IN SAID RECESS FOR ENGAGEMENT BY THE FINGER TO RAISE SAID FLAPS. 